Thomas clapham



(No Model.) v T. GLAPHAM.

G'ENTER BOARD BOAT.

Patented May 3, 1882 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS OLAPHAM, OF ROSLYN, NEW YORK.

CENTER-BOARD BOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 258,375, dated May 23, 1882.

Application filed February 25, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS CLAPHAM, of

Roslyn, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Center-Board Boats, of which the following'is a full, clear, and exact description.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of aboat to which my improvement has been applied. Fig. 2 is a sectional end elevation of the same, taken through the line a: as, Fig. 1, and showing the center-board in position for use. Fig. 3 is the same section as Fig. 2, but showing the center-board turned to one side. i

The object of this invention is to provide boats with movable center-boards that are arranged and operated outside of the vessel.

In this improvement the center-board is suspended and held under the keel. of the vessel by means of rods which extend up through the keel into the interior of the vessel. The rods work within tubes which serve to exclude the I \vaterfrom the interior of the vessel, the tubes being attached to the inner portion of the keel or bottom.

The inventionconsists in the construction of the parts as above described, and in other details, which will now be set forth, whereby the center-board is held in a vertical position, when in use, in line with the keel of the vessel. When not in use the center-board may be turned and held in a horizontal position at a right angle to the keel.

A represents a boat of any desired size or style.

B is a center-board, the upper edge of which fits squarely against the'keel O, keelson, or bottom of the boat A, according to the construction of the said boat. The center-board B is hinged to the lower ends of rods or chains D, which pass up through tubes E, secured in holes in the keel, keelson, or bottom of the boat A, and made of such a length that their upper ends will be above the water-line of the said boat. The rods or chains D are secured in place, holding the upper edge of the centerboard B firmly against the bottom of the boat by washers and keys F, washers and nuts, or other suitable means; or the upper edge of the center-board B can be let into the keel of the boat and provided with horizontal pivots at its upper corners to work in hearings in the shoulders of the said keel.

The center-board B can be held. rigidly in a vertical position by the rods or chains D, or by pins G, passing down through tubes H, secured in holes iii the vessels bottom, the said pins entering holes in the upper edge of the said center-board B, as shown in Fig. 1.

With this construction, by withdrawing the pins G andloosening the rods or chains D the center-board will be allowed to swing free, so that it can be turned up at either side of the boat. To the lower part of the rear end of the center-boardB is secured the lower end of a chain, I, which passes back beneath the stern of the boat A, and its upper end is secured to a support attached to the said stern.

With this construction, by detaching the upper end of the said chain, carrying it forward along either side of the boat, and then drawing upon it, the center-board B will be turned up toward that side, as shown in Fig. 3.

By this construction the inconvenience of a center-board box is avoided, and the tubes E H can be utilized as supports for tables, so as to prevent the cabin from being disfigured.

With this construction the center-board can be readily detached and raised at the side of the vessel for convenience in repairing and painting.

I am aware that a center-board suspended under the keel of a boat by chains passing through tubes and adapted to be held rigidly by pins passing through said tubes is not broadly new, and I therefore do not claim such; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a center-board boat, the combination, with the boat A, provided with holes in its keel, and with the tubes E H, of the rods 1), passing up through the holes of the keel and the tubes E, and-secured by'the washers and keys F, the center-board B, hinged to the lower ends of the said rods, and the pins G, passing down through the tubes H and holes in the keel into holes in the center-board, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

Witnesses:

JAMES T. GRAHAM, G. SEDGWIOK.

THOMAS ULAPIIAM. 

